The saying “there’s no place like home” has never rung more true. The past year has not only seen us reinvent our living spaces to accommodate new requirements but it’s forced us to become more mindful of our habits – like replacing ordering in with home cooking. Perhaps one of the biggest positives to come out of 2020 is that we’re having more conversations – mostly around the dinner table.

It’s not just that we don’t go out to eat as often as we once did. We’re experiencing a universal shift towards making more conscious food choices. Instead of ordering in cooked meals, we’re embracing home cooking, using healthy ingredients and seeking out recipes that have a backstory. 

This has seen us congregating in the kitchen and celebrating food – even stock-standard weeknight meals have been transformed into events. And why not? When you’ve taken the time to make a healthy meal from scratch, it makes sense to serve it in style (no matter which day of the week it is). 

So, let’s set the scene and lay the table for a home cooking feast, whether it’s a family dinner or intimate date night. Here’s how to make every meal an occasion:

1. Set the scene for international cuisine

Now is the time to try out all those evocative international recipes you’ve bookmarked over the last year. The Botanical Boys’ African-inspired tableware and serving ware will have you cooking up a colourful Afro-feast in no time. 

Set the table with these colourful Zulu telephone wire plates, which are hand-woven using telephone wires (a traditional method used by the Zulus in South Africa). These plates take several days to produce and therefore are very bespoke and come in a vast array of beautiful colourful designs produced.

Another bespoke addition to your international home cooking event, this Hand-Carved Zulu Platter will make your guests feel like royalty. This tray is carved out of a single piece hardwood and traditionally used with great formality to serve honoured guests.

These Zebra Salad Servers will add a touch of fun to dinnertime. Each item is handmade and carved from rosewood or olive wood by African woodcarvers.

Set the mood with some candlelight. These Potjie Pot Candles are handcrafted in South Africa, and will burn 120 hours using 100% soy wax. The pot is a symbol of South African food culture, originally brought in from the Netherlands in the 17th Century. It’s made of clay and can be reused as a planter once the candle has burned down. 

2. Make home cooking fun for the whole family

Even the fussy eaters in the family will love dinnertime with these colourful kitchen additions, like this playfully designed Templo Tray.

Who says high stand plates are only for cakes? These colourful ceramic plates by Atelier Buffile will add some creative flair to your dinner presentation. Choose from nine colours.

Bring even more colours to the dinner table with these latte mugs from I Am Nomad, perfect for juice or milk. Leave no rings – don’t forget the coasters!

When dinner is done, washing up is fun with this cute printed animal dishcloth from Nawrap. It’s six layers thick, making drying dishes easy peasy. Nobody wants to fuss too much after a big weeknight family meal!

3. Fancy a nightcap?

There’s no better way to round off a good meal than with a nightcap. Whether you choose a freshly-brewed coffee or something a little stronger, we’ve got a great selection of glassware and drinkware to dress up your after-dinner drinks and make every moment memorable.

Go retro and pour your brew from this 70s Ceramic Coffee Pot. We love it matched with these Venetian handmade cups and saucers.

Presentation is everything, which is why we’ve hand-picked the Boyd Decanter and Rare Presenter Set for your Brandy Alexander.

Home cooking tips to make everyday meals a special occasion

Go the extra mile and make your meal a celebration with these dinnertime tips: 

  • Ban phones from the table. Make it a no-tech evening where everyone engages and converses with each other, not their devices.
  • Play music softly in the background to create a relaxed mood. 
  • Candles aren’t reserved for romantic dinners only; we love the Bubble and Bend Candles from I Am Nomad as conversation starters. 

Written by Michelle Randall